Manuel Neuer Archives

Bayern Munich suffer Manuel Neuer blow

Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer is set for a spell on the sidelines after tearing his calf muscle, the Bundesliga club announced on Sunday.

Neuer, 39, was subbed off at half-time in Saturday’s 3-0 win at Werder Bremen which helped Bayern restore their six-point lead over Borussia Dortmund atop the Bundesliga table.

Bayern sporting director Max Eberl initially said Neuer’s substitution was a “precautionary measure” and the injury was “nothing dramatic”.

A scan on Sunday, however, showed the tear was more serious than initially expected.

“Bayern Munich will have to do without Manuel Neuer for the time being,” the league leaders said in a statement without indicating how long their captain would be out.

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German media reported Neuer was in doubt for Bayern’s trip to Dortmund at the end of February and would miss next Saturday’s clash with Eintracht Frankfurt.

The veteran goalkeeper turns 40 in March and has been plagued by calf problems recently, missing 10 matches last season with a similar injury.

Bayern were 11 points clear in the German league at Christmas but Dortmund have drawn six points behind the leaders after a six-match winning run.

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Manuel Neuer ruled out for rest of 2024, confirms Bayern Munich boss

Bayern Munich captain Manuel Neuer will likely not play again in 2024, coach Vincent Kompany confirmed ahead of Tuesday’s clash with Shakhtar Donetsk.

Speaking on Monday, Kompany said “he’s got a broken rib, which means he probably won’t play again this year.

“What’s important is that it heals now. Hopefully from the start of January, we’ll have Manu back, but for now, it’s too early.”

Kompany confirmed that Neuer broke his rib in a collision with Bayer Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong on Tuesday, for which the goalie also picked up the first red card of his 866-game career.

Bayern Munich are missing several first-team players as an injury crisis sweeps through the club.

Manuel Neuer, Harry Kane, Kingsley Coman, Alphonso Davies, Joao Palhinha, Serge Gnabry, Josip Stanisic, Hiroki Ito and Mathys Tel are all on the injured list, while backup ‘keeper Sven Ulreich is out for personal reasons.

“We’re missing a lot of players, but I think we’ve come through well so far,” Vincent Kompany said.

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Neuer’s absence means Bayern’s third-choice goalie, Daniel Peretz, will start between the sticks.

The Israel goalkeeper will play his third game for Bayern having made his club debut off the bench after Neuer’s sending off in the 1-0 German Cup last 16 loss to Leverkusen.

The six-time Champions League winners sit in 13th spot on the Champions League table after five matches, after three home wins and away losses to Barcelona and Aston Villa.

A win against Shakhtar would help Bayern’s bid to finish in the top eight and avoid an additional playoff round.

Officially an ‘away’ fixture for Bayern, Tuesday’s match is in the German city of Gelsenkirchen, Shakhtar’s European base this season as their displacement due to Russia’s invasion continues.

Bayern last lost in Gelsenkirchen, the home ground of second-division Schalke, in 2010. Since then, Bayern have won 11 and drawn one of 12 games, scoring 29 goals and conceding just two.

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Bayern Munich set sights on dream home Champions League final

Bayern Munich captain Manuel Neuer shared that his side is fully focused on the Champions League season and aiming to play the final, which is scheduled at Allianz Arena.

“Something big is coming,” Neuer told reporters ahead of Tuesday’s opening clash with Dinamo Zagreb at home.

“The most important thing is the final in Munich. We want to go there and everything else is secondary.

“We know what this final means to the city, the fans and the players. Our motivation is simply very high.”

Six-time European champions Bayern Munich come into the season after their first trophyless campaign in 11 seasons, with Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen winning a league and cup double.

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In the Champions League, Bayern were eliminated in the semi-finals by eventual winners Real Madrid, who beat Borussia Dortmund 2-0 at Wembley to lift the trophy.

Manuel Neuer and fellow Bayern veteran Thomas Mueller, who both won the 2013 and 2020 Champions League finals, are the only two players in the squad to remember the 2012 home final, which they lost on penalties to Premier League side Chelsea.

Mueller went on social media on Monday, telling followers “the road to Munich starts tomorrow. “I’m very excited. Let’s enjoy the best football in Europe.”

Manager Vincent Kompany, set to coach his first match in the Champions League, told reporters “the fans can dream”.

“The most important thing for me is that we show it on the pitch. We have a difficult game tomorrow. The important thing is that we play well and win tomorrow.”

Bayern have won every one of their Champions League openers since 2002 when they lost 3-2 to Deportivo La Coruna, which was the prelude to their first and only group stage elimination.

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Neuer ‘put personal interests’ above Bayern, says sporting director

BERLIN: Bayern Munich sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic said on Sunday he was “disappointed” with injured captain Manuel Neuer, who “put his personal interests above” the club.

The statement, which relates to Neuer’s tell-all interview with media outlets Sueddeutsche Zeitung and The Athletic, is the latest in the war of words between the club and its captain.

Neuer, who is currently out injured with a broken leg from a skiing accident in December, criticised the club’s decision to fire long-time goalkeeping coach Toni Tapalovic, saying he felt “as if my heart had been ripped out”.

Speaking with German tabloid Bild on Sunday, Salihamidzic said: “I understand Manuel is affected personally, but as captain I would have expected a different attitude from him.

“Manuel has put his personal interests above the interests of the club.

“We’ll discuss it with him sensibly internally.”

The off-field saga is mirrored by poor results on the field for the German champions, who are yet to win a league match in 2023.

Bayern, who sit in second place behind Union Berlin, travel to Wolfsburg on Sunday.

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Covid-hit Neuer, Goretzka ruled out for Germany

BERLIN: Germany captain Manuel Neuer and midfielder Leon Goretzka have been ruled out of the upcoming Nations League clashes with Hungary and England after recording positive Covid tests.

The news was confirmed by the German team in Frankfurt on Wednesday, where the squad are in training.

The pair, who are team-mates at Bayern Munich, have left the camp and will not take part in either of the upcoming fixtures.

Hoffenheim ‘keeper Oliver Baumann has been called in to replace Neuer, while Wolfsburg captain Maximilian Arnold was drafted in on Wednesday afternoon to replace Goretzka.

Borussia Dortmund midfielder Julian Brandt also left the Germany camp on Wednesday due to flu-like symptoms, but has tested negative for the virus.

Germany management has not yet indicated whether the 38-time Germany player will be replaced ahead of the two Nations League fixtures.

Bild tabloid reports the Covid tests were carried out due to a positive test for a close personal contact of one of the players.

Both Neuer and Goretzka tested negative on Monday when they entered camp.

Germany sit second behind Hungary in their Nations League group, with one win and three draws from four matches.

England are bottom of the four-team group with two draws and two losses, scoring just one goal in four matches.

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